Boomers Had Monster.com, Gen Z Has Fridge Cigs—Welcome to 2025
Good morning! ☀️
Job boards are folding, sodas are sparking joy, and the spot market’s hotter than a grill on the Fourth of July. Monster.com and CareerBuilder just filed for Chapter 11 (RIP to your first résumé upload), Gen Z just turned a cold Diet Coke into a fridge cigarette (yes, really), and freight rates? They’re spiking faster than your uncle’s blood pressure at a family BBQ.
Let’s dash through today’s logistics chaos—with a wink, a can crack, and maybe a rate renegotiation or two.
“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.”
👋 Monster & CareerBuilder Just Clocked Out for Good
Remember when Monster.com ruled online job hunting and CareerBuilder was everywhere? Yeah, same. Well… both just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after merging in 2024 and still failing to keep up with the recruiting powerhouses of today like Indeed, LinkedIn, and Glassdoor.
Their assets are getting chopped up and sold off: JobGet is grabbing the gig-work side, Valsoft is scooping up the gov-tech arm, and Valnet is taking the remaining scraps.
Executives blamed the “challenging macroeconomic environment,” but let’s be real—it wasn’t the economy. It was irrelevance. In a world of algorithmic hiring, mobile-first job seekers, and AI-matched candidates, these platforms were still playing by early-2000s rules.
Why You Should Care:
These weren’t just job boards—they were pipelines for blue-collar and gig labor. Their collapse signals a massive shift in workforce sourcing. If you're in final-mile delivery, warehousing, or fleet ops, this is your cue: time to rethink how you attract and retain talent.
🔥 Hot Take:
Still using Monster or CareerBuilder to find drivers or warehouse staff? That’s like faxing a resume to Mars. The logistics labor market has gone digital, fast, and mobile. If you’re not modernizing your hiring strategy, you’re not just behind—you’re invisible.
🚬 But Make It Cold: Gen Z’s “Fridge Cigarette” Is Changing the Consumer Game
You’ve heard of the smoke break… but what about the Diet Coke break? Gen Z just rebranded it—and it’s called a fridge cigarette.
It’s not about smoking. It’s about vibe. TikTok creator @reallyrachelreno cracked open a cold Diet Coke in the park, and suddenly, millions got it: the crack of the can, the fizz, the moment of peace mid-chaos. It’s the new ritual—refreshment as a lifestyle.
This fizzy micro-trend may seem silly, but it signals something big for retail logistics, last-mile delivery, and beverage supply chains: Emotion now drives urgency. People don’t just want products. They want moments. And they want them fast—and cold.
🔥 Hot take:
If your cold chain can't keep up with Gen Z's mood-based cravings, you're not just behind—you’re flat. Cold beverages. Warmer margins. Get with it.
🎆 Spot Market’s Heating Up—Will You Catch the Boom or Get Burned?
As we cruise toward July 4th, freight's about to get real. Spot rates are climbing, tender rejections are on the rise (6%+ nationwide), and capacity’s tightening—especially in hotspots like Dallas and LA. SONAR data has the National Truckload Index sitting at $2.27/mile, and for carriers, that spells opportunity.
After two years of market correction and a 12% drop in active authorities, we’re back in a game of supply vs. demand. Carriers have leverage. Brokers? You're on defense. If you're not on the phone renegotiating rates ASAP, expect your margins to get smoked.
🚛 Why It Matters:
This isn’t just seasonal noise—it’s a freight power shift. Carriers can stack wins. Brokers need to hustle hard. Strategy > hope.
🔥 Hot Take:
If you’re still quoting freight like it’s April, you’re about to get July’d. Peak rate season is here. Blink, and your profit just hit the road.
The Workday Dash is an aggregation of articles regarding the transportation logistics, trucking, and supply chain industries for June 27, 2025, from iLevel Logistics Inc.